There are just a few weeks until the first presidential debate and right now only Bush and Kerry will be allowed to participate. Without Ralph Nader's inclusion, the critical issues facing our country - including the war in Iraq - will not be fully discussed. The www.letnaderdebate.org campaign is insisting that Nader be allowed to debate. Democrats, Republicans and Independents who favor democracy over partisanship are signing an open letter to President Bush asking him to use his political clout to ensure that Nader is included.

This campaign is not about who you will vote for, it’s about how (and whether) we can talk to each other about the critical issues facing our nation. National elections are supposed to be the process by which we deliberate over the issues facing our nation. Shutting down that deliberation, whether in the name of “unity” as at the Democratic Convention where 9 out of 10 delegates opposed the war but were pressured to embrace a pro-war candidate, or “patriotic duty” as is likely at the upcoming Republican Convention, has a chilling effect on the capacity of American’s to listen, learn, deliberate, argue, oppose, and debate.

50% of Americans have stopped voting because “slash and burn” politics has completely taken over. The major parties have made it clear that their primary commitment is to themselves and doing whatever it takes to win. It's clear that if there's going to be any change, ordinary citizens are going to have to take back control of our electoral process.

Please sign the letter today at www.letnaderdebate.org, make a contribution to the advertising campaign and send an email to everyone you know asking them to do the same!